The present invention provides the structure of an adjustable, multi-purpose type of sick bed that can serve as a wheel-chair for sitting or lying on and is easily assembled and disassembled, on which the patient may take a bath, urinate or discharge bowel movement comfortably. The bed stand, that is, the mattress, is composed of three web-like sections which are pivotally associated with each other. On the underside of each of the forward and rear sections is provided a rocker gear adjustment means such that, by adjusting the frontal section of the bed to tilt upwardly and adjusting the rear section thereof to tilt downwardly therewith, the sick bed can be converted into a wheel-chair as needed. In a position in the central section of the bed is provided a hollow-set soft urn in association with a sump and drainage underneath. The urn to accommodate discharge of urine and feces as eliminated by the patient lying in the bed in a manner as comfortable as if it were his or her private toilet. For this purpose, a plastic covering may be hung vertically to conceal the underside of the frontal section and of the rear section of the spring mattress together. With a drainage pipe connected to the sump, this also permits the patient to take a bath in the bed, the sullied bath water being confined by the covering shields to flow to the drainage pipe for exhaust. Thus, the bed can be maintained clean and convenient for reclining afterwards.
While advances in medical sciences have come to such a point as to bring much benefits to human beings by relieving their pains and contributing to their health, there is no denying that a thoughtfully designed, ideally structured sick bed is also indispensable. Various services to patients suffering from body amputation and disability, who have to rely on the bed all the time at times during their illness or even all their life, are concerned in addition with medical support.
A conventional sick bed is generally of such a structure that incorporates a fixed type level plank mattress, so that when the patient is unable to walk on foot and has to remain in bed for one reason or another, but has to take pills or have his meals at mealtime, the pillows have to be stacked higher to bring the patient's head higher than the rest of his body in order to feel comfortable while taking the pill or his food. Yet the patient can hardly feel comfortable enough by such efforts of adjustment, and it is a nuisance and inconvenience to have to do so. Thus, the prior proposal has been made to provide a sick bed that permits slight rotative adjustment of the head position. Still, such a design is subject to the following shortcomings.
1. The lack of the provision of a weblike spring mattress and of a hollow sink in the center of the bed means the patient will have to be assisted by the nurse or some non-patient to get to the toilet or when he needs to have his body cleaned and must be assisted back to the bed again. Such assistances are truly a bothersome burden for the assistants, who have to be constantly attentive lest the patients fall down en route. If the patient remains in bed for body cleaning, while this may be all right in cool weather, in some climates it is hardly practicable in summer when it is so hot that the body has to get soaked through in a shower or bathtub in a toilet room or lavatory in order to avoid skin disease and foul smells.
2. For the entire sick bed only the head position is provided a rotative movement of a small amplitude. While this relieves the trouble of having to stack the pillows high. The bed cannot be converted to a wheel-chair that would best benefit the patient if he wishes to lift himself to read or write, or simply to sit up at least once in a while. When he is restricted from body movement by foot, this failure is particularly a pity for those patients who can take solace in reading in a comfortable sitting position.
3. The bed stand, being integral with the castor support by welding, as such cannot be taken apart, takes more space and permits little flexibility for handling and being transported form one place to another, incurring much labor charge and much inconvenience.
4. The necessity to fix an injection fixture and food tray beside the sick bed, which usually occupies space overlapping the aisle, when the patient is injected or having his meal in bed, affects passage by the medical staff in moving from one ward to the next.
It is in view of the foregoing shortcomings and drawbacks of conventional sick beds, that the inventor betook himself to work for improvements therefor, and eventually succeeded in the presentation of the present invention.